Biography
Laura Elizabeth Metcalf (born June 16, 1955) is an American actress and comedian. Often described as a character actor, she is known for her complex and versatile roles across the stage and screen. She has received various accolades throughout her career spanning over four decades, including two Tony Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and three Golden Globe Awards.
Metcalf began her career with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company and frequently works in Chicago theatre. She made her Broadway debut in the 1985 play My Thing of Love. She went on to receive six Tony Award nominations, winning Best Actress in a Play in 2017 for her performance in A Doll's House, Part 2 and Best Featured Actress in a Play for the 2018 revival of Edward Albee's Three Tall Women. Her other Tony-nominated roles were for November (2008), The Other Place (2010), Misery (2016), and Hillary and Clinton (2019).
She gained national attention for her performance as Jackie Harris on the sitcom Roseanne (1988β1997, 2018) and its spinoff The Conners (2018βpresent), for which she won three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She also won a Primetime Emmy Award for her guest role in Hacks (2022), and her other Emmy-nominated roles include 3rd Rock from the Sun (1999), Monk (2006), Desperate Housewives (2007), The Big Bang Theory (2016), Getting On (2013β2015), and Horace and Pete (2016). She also appeared on The Norm Show (1999β2001), Frasier, and The Dropout (2022).
In film, Metcalf is best known for her performance as Marion McPherson in Greta Gerwig's comedy-drama film Lady Bird (2017). She was nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a SAG Award, and a BAFTA Award. From 1995, she has voiced Mrs. Davis, the mother of Andy, in the Toy Story franchise, and voiced Sarah Hawkins in the Disney animated Treasure Planet (2002). Other notable film credits include Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Uncle Buck (1989), JFK (1991), Dear God (1996), Georgia Rule (2007) and Scream 2 (1997).
Filmography (95)
Everybody Digs Bill Evans
2026
Scream 7
2026
Big Mistakes
2026
Janis Ian: Breaking Silence
2025
Bruce Willis : les secrets d'une icΓ΄ne
2025
Monster: The Ed Gein Story
2025
Elsbeth
2024
Somewhere in Queens
2023
Carol & the End of the World
2023
The Dropout
2022
Q-Force
2021
Hacks
2021
Barbecue
2020
The Accidental Wolf
2020
Toy Story 4
2019
The Conners
2018
Lady Bird
2017
Starring Austin Pendleton
2016
Horace and Pete
2016
Supergirl
2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
Long Day's Journey Into Night
2014
The McCarthys
2014
Tim and Eric's Bedtime Stories
2014
Playing House
2014
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
2014
Getting On
2013
Still Screaming: The Ultimate Scary Movie Retrospective
2011
Toy Story 3
2010
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
Stop-Loss
2008
Easy Money
2008
Meet the Robinsons
2007
Georgia Rule
2007
The Pixar Story
2007
Raines
2007
The Big Bang Theory
2007
Steel City
2006
Beer League
2006
Fun with Dick and Jane
2005
Grey's Anatomy
2005
American Dad!
2005
Desperate Housewives
2004
Charlie Lawrence
2003
Treasure Planet
2002
Monk
2002
Without a Trace
2002
God, the Devil and Bob
2000
Malcolm in the Middle
2000
Toy Story 2
1999
Runaway Bride
1999
Balloon Farm
1999
The Norm Show
1999
Bulworth
1998
Always Outnumbered
1998
Chicago Cab
1998
The Long Island Incident
1998
U Turn
1997
Scream 2
1997
King of the Hill
1997
Dharma & Greg
1997
Dear God
1996
The Story Behind 'Toy Story'
1996
3rd Rock from the Sun
1996
Toy Story
1995
Leaving Las Vegas
1995
The Secret Life of Houses
1994
Duckman
1994
Two Mikes Don't Make a Wright
1993
A Dangerous Woman
1993
Blink
1993
Frasier
1993
Mistress
1992
The Jackie Thomas Show
1992
JFK
1991
Tom Arnold: The Naked Truth
1991
Pacific Heights
1990
Internal Affairs
1990
Uncle Buck
1989
Miles from Home
1988
The Appointments of Dennis Jennings
1988
Stars & Bars
1988
Candy Mountain
1988
Roseanne
1988
Making Mr. Right
1987
Price Check
1987
Desperately Seeking Susan
1985
The Execution of Raymond Graham
1985
The Equalizer
1985
The Visitor
1982
A Wedding
1978
Saturday Night Live
1975
Tony Awards
1956
The Oscars
1953
Untitled Nathan Lane Documentary